IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-S) 


t 
^ 


/. 


/. 


Kp 


^^ 


% 


:/, 


1.0 


I.I 


IttllS 

us 


2.5 


6" 


u&  IIIIIM 


1.8 


11.25  i  1.4   i  1.6 


V] 


v^ 


/>< 


em,/\oy^  -> 


<S'5«5 


7 


j;^^. 


I 


■  /^    


Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  NY.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


i^% 

%^. 


l^< 


.<5> 


s^ 


v\ 


^ 


€v 


9t 


NOTES. 


Here,  on  the  heiglits,  where,  suddenly  arrayed. 
These  hordes  their  last  despairing  effort  made,  &c. 

In  this  expedition  against  the  hostile  Indians,  which 
was  committed  to  the  management  of  General  Sullivan, 
and  crowned  with  the  most  complete  success,  the  only 
stand  made  by  the  savages  was  at  this  place,  August  29th, 
1799.    After  a  short  skirmish  they  were  driven  from  this 
their  last  hold,  and  pursued  beyond  the  Gennesse  river. 
Forty  of  their  towns,  and  upwards  of  160,000  bushels  of 
Indian  corn  were  destroyed.    The  remnant  of  the  tribes 
took  refuge  in  Canada;  and  thus  an  immense  extent  of 
the  the  most  fertile  ^^ntry  of  the  United  States  was 
laid  open  to  the  enterp|||  of  our  active  and  industrious 
settlers.    The  white  population  of  these  parts  of  the 
State  of  New  York,  settled  since,  may  be  fairly  estimat- 
ed  at  three  times  the  number  of  all  the  Indians  within 
five  hundred  miles  of  the  place. 


Note  27— Page  44. 
Huge  loaded  arks  rush  down  the  boilino-  tide. 

These  vessels  are  constructed  of  oak  and  pine  plank, 
and  built  in  the  form  of  a  parrallelograra ;  they  are  flat 
bottomed,  and  strongly  floored ;  and  capable  of  contain- 
ing  many  thousand  bushels  of  Wheat  each  ;  sometimes 
droves  ox  oxen  compose  part  of  their  cargoes.  On  ar- 
nving  at  their  place  of  destination,  and  the  cargo  dispos- 
ed  of,  the  arks  are  sold  to  the  lumber  dealers,  and  taken 
to  pieces  with  littb  trouble. 


NOtES.  93 

>J  ote  28— Page  44. 
Columbia's  harbor  shelters  them  at  last. 

The  town  of  Columbia,  on  the  northeast  bank  of  the 
Susquehanna,  at  Wright's  ferry,  ten  miles  from  Lancas- 
ter, is  the  great  depot  for  those  immense  stores  of  wheat, 
flour,  lumber,  &c.,  brought  down  the  river  for  an  extent 
of  more  than  three  hundred  miles.  The  bridge  which  it 
is  in  contemplation  to  erect  over  the  Susquehanna  near 
this  town,  will  be  an  additional  source  of  prosperity  to 
this  thriving  and  populous  pl?.ce. 

Note  29— Page  45. 

In  two  wide  routes  their  waters  seek  the  main ; 
Part  through  St*  Lawrence  meets  the  sea  again, 
Part  to  the  south  pursues  its  wandering  way, 
And  rolls  to  Chesapeake's  capaciJ^s  Bay. 

In  a  matter  of  fact  poem,  such  as  this,  I  need  hardly 
observe,  that  the  above  is  literally  true.  The  proprietor 
of  part  of  this  meadow,  assured  me,  that  with  his  spade 
he  could,  at  pleasure,  send  the  waters  either  into  the 
Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence,  or  the  Chesapeake  Bay.  A 
species  of  salmon,  common  to  the  river  Susquehanna  and 
to  Lake  Ontario,  has  been  frequently  known  to  pass  from 
from  one  to  the  other  by  this  communication. 

NoteSO— Panre46. 


IT/M»rk   ^r%  i^\%m  jV/%/4 


XXViV    bV    9»tv, 


h 


vvi»- 


■  Mi: 


F2 


#' 


94 


NOTES, 


Note  31— -Page  47. 

The  half-burnt  logs,  and  stakes  erected  near, 
Showed  that  the  sugar  camp  once  flourished  here* 

In  passing  among  these  stately  and  noble  trees,  which 
grow  here  in  great  luxuriance,  it  is  an  object  of  regret  to 
observe  how  unmercifully  their  trunks  are  cut  and  gash- 
ed with  the  axe ;  many  of  these  notches  are  so  deep,  that 
the  trees  have  either  been  killed,  or  overthrown  by  the 
first  storm  of  wind.  It  is  well  known  that  all  this  chop- 
ping is  unnecessary ;  and  tliat  a  small  auger-hole  is  e- 
qually  efficient,  nowise  injurious  to  the  tree,  and  may  \)g 
done  in  one  tenth  part  of  the  time. 

Note  32— Page  48. 

Surrounding  hills  this  peaceful  place  inclose, 
And  form  a  scene  of  sheltered  sweet  repose. 

This  Indian  town,  Catharine,  situated  near  the  head  of 
the  Seneca  Lake,  in  one  of  the  most  delightful  and  ro- 
mantic spots  imaginable,  contained  a  great  number  of 
houses,  with  large  orchards  and  extensive  corn  fields, — 
It  was  totally  destroyed  in  1779,  by  tha  troops  under  the 
command  of  General  Sullivan,  who,  entering  the  place 
at  night,  found  it  nearly  deserted  of  its  inhabitants.  One 
miserable  old  squaw  alone  remained,  who,  from  extreme 
old  age,  was  incapable  of  walking;  and  looked  like'^the 
last  survivor  of  the  former  age."  The  general  ordered 
a  hut  to  be  erected  for  her,  with  provisions  for  her  sub- 
sistence ;  but  she  did  not  long  survive  the  catastrophe  of 
her  nation. 


-..J.  .„.-A'^*--" 


NOTES.  -95 

Note  33— Pagre  50. 

Through  this  sweet  vale,  that  wooded  liills  inclose, 
A  clear  deep  stream  in  glassy  silence  flows. 

Catharine's  Creek,  which  forms  the  head  waters  of  the 
Seneca  Lake,  and  falls  into  its  southern  extremity.  From 
this  lake  to  the  landing,  a  distance  of  ahcut  five  miles,  the 
creek  is  navigable  for  large  loaded  boats.  The  country 
between  this  place  and  Newtown,  on  the  Susquehanna,  is 
generally  level ;  and  the  distance  in  a  direct  line,  proba- 
bly not  more  than  tv/enty  miles.  The  practicability  of 
uniting  these  two  waters,  by  a  canal,  at  a  comparatively 
small  expense,  and  the  immense  advantages  that  would 
result  from  the  completion  of  such  an  undertaking,  have 

long  been  evident  to  all  those  acqiminted  with  that  part 
of  the  country. 


Note  34--Page  50. 

Gigantic  walnuts,  bare  and  blasted,  rise 

And  stretch  their  bleached  arms  midway  to  the  skies. 

Some  of  these  trees,  owing  to  the  richness  of  the  soil^ 
grow  to  an  extraordinary  size.  I  measured  one  that  was 
nearly  thirty  feet  in  circumference. 

Note  35— .Page  50. 

There  sits  the  hawk. ^The  fishing-hawk,  or  osprey; 

differing  considerably  from  the  bird  of  that  name  in  Eu* 


rnnflk- 


90 


NOtfiS. 


Note  36— Page  51. 
The  far  famed  canvass^backs— - 

These  celebrated  and  justly  esteemed  ducks,  appear  to 
be  the  Anas  Fertna  of  Liu.  From  the  great  abundancy 
of  their  favorite  food,  (the  roots  of  the  Valiseneria  A- 
mericana,)  in  the  tide  waters  of  many  of  our  large  riv- 
ers, it  is  probable  that  their  flesh  is  much  more  delicious 
here  than  in  Europe. 


Note  37— Page  52. 

Plovers.— These  were  of  various  kinds;  among  which 
1  found  two  species  hitherto  undescribed. 


Note38— Paore53. 


A  fleet  of  ducks- 


The  black-duck,  Anas  Persjnllaia,  very  numerous  here. 


Note  39— Page  52. 


But  now  the  Lake 


The  Seneca  Lake.  This  beautiful  sheet  of  water  is 
about  forty  miles  long,  by  from  one  and  a  half  to  three 
miles  in  breadth.  The  shores  are  generally  precipitous, 
consisting  of  a  brittle  blue  slate,  in  which  many  eurious 
impressions  of  marine  shells  are  perceivable.  In  a  short 
search  I  found  upwards  of  twenty. 


NOTES. 


07 


Note40^Page63.    . 

Two  snow  while  storks——  ^ 

Jrdca  Ma  of  Lin.    These  are  only  summer  birds }  and 
Tery  transient  visitants  in  these  northern  regions. 

Notedl— Page  53. 

A  hawk  whose  claws,  white  tail,  and  dappled  breast, 
And  eye  his  royal  pedigree  coiifest. 

The  white  tailed  oaglc  {Falcofukus,)  so  much  sought 
after  by  the  Indians  of  North  America  for  its  quill  and 
tail  feathers,  with  which  they  plume  their  arrows,  orna- 
ment their  calumet,  and  adorn  their  dresses.  It  inhabits 
from  Hudson's  Bay  to  Mexico.  The  claws  and  beak  of 
this  bird  are  of  an  extraordinary  size. 

Note  4*3 — Page  54. 

Splendid  summer  ducks 

Called  by  some  the  wood-duck  {Anas  Sponm,)  the 
most  beautiful  of  its  tribe  in  North  America.  They  are 
easily  tamed,  and  become  very  fiuniliar.  About  thirty- 
five  years  ago,  a  Mr.  Nathan  Nichols,  who  resided  in 
Maryland,  on  the  west  side  of  Gunpowder  river,  succeed- 
ed completely  in  domesticating  these  ducks ;  so  that  they 
bred  and  multiplied  with  him  in  great  numbers.  In  their 
wild  state  they  build  in  hollow  trees,  and  fly  directly  in, 
without  alighting  at  the  entrance. 

G 


m^-^ 


96 


NOTES. 


Note  43— Paffe  59. 


Tho  lake  Cayuga— 

This  lake  is  about  thirty-oiglu  miles  long,  and  from 
two  to  three  and  four  miles  in  breadth.    It  is  nearly  par- 
allel with,  and  about  eight  or  ten  miles  east  from  tho 
Seneca  lake.    The  bed  of  the  former  is  said  to  be  thirty 
or  flirty  feet  lower  than  that  of  the  latter,  which  flows  in- 
to  tho  Cayuga  nearly  at  its  outlet,  and  fonns  what  is  u- 
sually  called  Seneca  River.     The  waters  of  both  thew 
lakes  are  extremely  clear  and  transparent;  are  much  fro- 
quented  by  wild  ducks,  and  contain  abundance  of  various 
kinds  of  fish,  particularly  salmon,  and  also  suckers  of  & 
very  large  size.     Oiie  of  these  last,  which  we  purchased 
from  a  party  of  Indians  encamped  on  the  shore,  measured 
upwards  of  two  feet  in  length. 


Note  44— Page  61. 
O'er  rocks  and  narrows— 

These  are  passes  on  the  high  steep  sides  of  tha  moun- 
tains overhanging  the  Susquehanna,  and  ip  some  placet 
will  scarcely  admit  more  than  one  person  abreast. 


Note  45— Page  63. 
f^o^^  like  dull  stars  the  lighted  bridge  appear. 
This  bridge  extends  across  the  lake,  which  at  thi«  n| 


imtut^ 


NOTES. 


08 


rora 
piir- 
the 
irtj 
I  in- 
3  u- 

fro- 

0U8 

fa 
sed 
red 


U  about  a  mile  in  width.  It  is  built  of  wood,  is  laid  on 
two  hundred  and  fiftGen  trusties,  each  conwsting  of  three 
post9,  connected  by  girths  and  braces.  The  posts  are 
«unk  to  hard  gravel,  whicli  is  generally  about  thirty  feet 
from  the  surface.  The  expense  was  twenty  thousand 
dollars. 


Note  4G— Pagre  63. 

Here  from  the  shore,  low  marshes  wide  expand, 
Where  bare  and  bleak  the  little  salt-works  stand. 

This  saline  is  about  eight  miles  from  the  outlet  of  the 
lake.  The  wells  are  from  fifteen  to  twenty  feet  deep,  and 
the  water  is  much  stronger  than  that  of  the  ocean.  The 
proprietor  informed  me  that  he  made  about  thirty-fivebush- 
els  daily. 


60 


M 


Note  47— Page  65. 

The  skunk's  abhorred  effluvia  filled  the  room. 

The  reader  is  not  to  imagine  that  this  animal  formed 
part  of  our  i/apper's  game.  It  is  never  seen  in  this  par- 
ticular part  of  the  country ;  and  the  trappers  take  advan- 
tage of  this  circumstance  to  circumvent  their  prey.  In 
the  lower  parts  of  the  state,  where  this  animal  is  abun- 
dant, there  are  people  who  collect  the  liquor  with  which 
Nature  has  supplied  it  for  its  defence.  This  is  put  into 
small  yi^ds-  sealed*  nlaceji  mouth  downw^ds 


-7  r- 


100 


IfOTES. 


earth,  and  sold  to  tlie  trappers.  A  drop  or  two  of  this 
precious  aroma  is  put  on  or  near  the  steel-traps  after  they 
are  set,  and  the  stranjre  and  extraordinary  odor  is  said  to 
decoy  other  animals  to  the  spot.  Our  landlord  himself 
being  furnished  with  a  bottle  of  this  essence  of  skunk, 
and  his  traps  profusely  saturated  with  the  same,  produced 
the  effect  above  mentioned. 


Note  48— Page  67. 

Fort  Oswego. — ^This  post  was  finally  abandoned  on 
the  28th  of  October,  1804,  about  a  week  before  our  visit 
there. 


Note  49— Page  69. 

Queenstown.— Thisplace  lies  on  the  Canada  side  of 
the  Niagara  river,  seven  miles  below  the  falls. 


Note  50— Page  69. 

8aw  in  the  east  the  coming  tempest  lour,  &c. 

Tliese  storms  are  very  frequent  on  this  lake;  and  th« 
want  of  sufficient  sea-room  is  also  dangerous.  A  few- 
days  previous  to  our  arrival  at  Oswego,  a  British  packet 
called  the  Speedy,  with  the  judge  advocate  on  board,  the 
judges,  witnesses,  and  an  Indian  prisoner,  and  others,  to 
v«sv  ausvuufc  vi  fcwcui.jr  VK  uiiny  persons,  lounaerea  in  a 


K0TE8. 


101 


Yiolent  gale,  and  every  soul  perished.  No  part  of  the 
vMsel  was  afterwards  found  except  the  pump,  which  wt 
picked  up»  and  earned  to  Quecnstown. 

Note  51— Page  71. 
There,  high  in  air,  the  fortress  full  in  view,  &c. 

Fort  Niagara,  originally  built  in  1725,  by  the  French, 
was  held  by  the  British  from  1759  to  1796,  when  it  wa» 
delivered  up,  with  the  rest  of  the  western  posts,  to  the 
United  States.  It  lies  on  the  north  east  point  at  the  en- 
trance of  Niagara  river  into  lake  Ontario ;  and  is  a  strong 
aud  very  important  post. 

Note  52— Page  71. 

There  o'er  their  fort,  the  British  ensign  flies. 

Fort  George,  built  and  occupied  by  the  British  sine© 
1794,  stands  about  a  mile  higher  up  the  river  than  the  A- 
merican  garrison,  on  ground  thirty  or  forty  feet  higher 
than  that  of  the  latter,  and  on  the  Canada  side.  Tho 
town  of  Newark  is  adjci.iing,  containing  about  two  bua- 
dred  houses. 

Note  53-.Page  72* 
Now  full  in  front  the  Ridge  its  height  uprears. 

7* 

Thia  fiinirulaT  ridffe  commcncee  about  tho  head  of  lak* 


102 


NOTES. 


Ontario,  and  ninningr  jn  an  easterly  direction,  loses  it- 
flelf  in  the  country  towards  the  Soncca  lake.  The  plain, 
extendinor  from  its  base  northwardly  to  the  shores  of  the 
lake,  and  is  between  two  and  three  hundred  feet  lower 
than  that  extending  from  its  top,  south,  to  lake  Erie. 


Note  54— Pago  73. 

——Though  five  short  miles  ahead, 
AH  sound  was  hushed  and  every  whisper  dead. 

This  will  appear  almost  incredible  to  those  who  have 
heard  it  asserted  that  the  noise  of  the  cataract  is  frequent- 
ly heard  at  the  distance  of  forty  miles.  Both  these  facts, 
liowever  are  actually  true,  and  depend  entirely  on  tho 
state  of  the  atmosphere  and  current  of  the  air. 

Note  55— Page  74. 
Whence  hurrying  clouds  of  boiling  smoke  arose,  &c. 

This  train  of  black  clouds  extends  along  the  heavens 
in  the  direction  in  which  the  wind  blows,  as  far  as  tho 
•ye  can  reach,  forming  a  very  striking  and  majestic  ai>. 
psarance. 


Note  56— Page  76. 
Till  the  tall  ladder's  tottering  top  appeared. 
This  ladder  was  placed  in  a&  almoet  perpendicular  do- 

-  -  ■  s 


KOTE«. 


]03 


it 

in, 
he 


r© 
t- 

h 


6ition,  not  IcaniPfr  on  tlio  brink;  but  fastened  to  a  project- 
ing root,  in  such  a  manner  that,  on  doscondi njr,  tho  steep 
was  on  our  right  hand,  and  a  tremondous  abyss,  of  a  hun- 
dred and  fifty  feet  deep,  presented  itself  before  us. 


Note  57 —Pago  77. 
-tromondous  rocks  werfj  Bpread, 


Tliat  from  our  foot  in  headlong  fury  iled. 

These  rocks,  being  worn  smootli  by  the  perpetual  ac- 
tion of  tho  water,  and  lying  upon  a  steep  declivity,  com- 
posed of  loose  masses  of  smaller  ones,  were  displaced 
at  every  pressure  of  the  foot,  so  that  masses  larger  than 
mill  stones  were  easily  lancheddown  with  a  single  kick, 
rendering  it  highly  dangerous  fer  more  than  ono  person 
to  pass  abreast. 

Note  53— Page  77. 
——•'midst  such  clamor  drowned. 


A  few  days  before  our  arrival  the  body  of  a  man  wlvo 
had  been  drowned  above  the  falls,  was  found  below  them, 
among  the  rocks.  Finding  it  impossible  from  the  staio 
of  the  body,  and  I  may  add  the  ladder,  to  raise  it  to  the 
brink  of  the  precipice,  and  there  not  being  a  particle  of 
earth  in  the  gulf  to  cover  it,  the  people  were  at  a  loss  how 
to  dispose  of  it,  until  one  of  the  company  discovered  a 
hollow  gum  log,  into  which  the  body  was  thrust,  and  tli# 
•ntrance  barricaded  with  large  stones. 


Note  5S— Page  77. 


VTiraif. 


J  04 


NOTES. 


TiiO  height  of  this  fall  is  said  lo  be  154  feet  The 
current  above  is  much  slower  than  in  another  part  of  the 
river  near  the  falls,  and  the  water  drops  here  almost  per- 
pendicularly, presenting  the  appearance  of  an  iminenso 
white  curtain  of  foam. 

NoleG0--Page78. 
i and  at  the  Horse-shoe  ends. 


These  falls  are  twelve  or  fourteen  feet  lower  than  those 
of  Fort  Slusher  on  the  American  side;  and  the  main  body 
of  the  river  rushes  over  at  this  place  with  indescribafel* 
Tiolonce  and  uproar. 

Noted— Page  78. 

One  last  grand  object 

The  Great  Pitch.  Of  the  general  appearance  of  tbi« 
tremendous  scene  I  find  it  altogether  impossible  for  mo 
to  give  any  adequate  conception. 


Note  62— Page  79. 


M.,. 


While  the  whole  monstrous  mass  and  country  round 
Shook  as  with  horror  at  th'  o'erwhelming  sound ! 

This  is  literally  true.  In  the  house  where  we  lodged, 
which  is  more  tlian  half  a  mile  from  the  falls,  the  Tibni- 
tions  of  a  fork,  stuck  in  a  board  partition,  were  plainly 
<^)6eryable  across  the  room.  ^ 


I 


